For the past 20 years, scientists from The Zoological Society of London, World Wildlife Fund, and other organizations have been monitoring the changes in the population of different species around the world. And unfortunately, every year more and more species go extinct. We should take some serious measures to stop this from happening.
We at Bright Side realize that humanity has a huge influence on the environment and the animals that live on the planet and we want to understand how to help our biosphere save the diversity it currently has.
What is happening now
Humans have a much bigger influence on Earth than any other species. We chop forests because we need agricultural land to produce food for the pigs and chickens that we eat. We use too much water from our rivers, dump too much plastic into our oceans, and cause many animals go extinct.
Sudan (1973 — 2018) was one of the last male northern white rhinos.
The Clouded leopard was last seen in 1983 and is extinct now.
The Pyrenean ibex went extinct in 2000.
Recent reports show that humanity has destroyed 83% of all animals and 50% of all plants since the beginning of civilization. And even if we stop the destruction right now, it will take about 5-7 million years for the world to recover.
The wildlife and ecosystem are vital for human life, sσ putting them in danger is just as bad as climate change.
The reasons
Aside from humans, there are many other reasons why species go extinct, but our influence is still the most important.
The destruction of natural habitats is the main reason why animals and insects go extinct. Forests are wiped out and a lot of lands are used for agricultural gains.
Killing for food is the second most serious reason. 300 species of animals are killed for human consumption and the same goes for fish in the ocean.
Chemical pollution is also a huge threat. 50% of killer whales are doomed because of pollution.
A large number of dams has also decreased the number of fish and other animals in rivers and lakes.
What happens next?
The first thing that matters is how informed people are. Many of us have no idea what’s happening to animals. For example, in 2018, Lacoste produced a collection of T-shirts where there were 10 endangered species instead of the classic crocodile logo in order to put a spotlight on and provide support for these animals.
In order to stop the fall of the biosphere that actually keeps humanity alive, global changes are absolutely necessary.
Governments of different countries are continuously working on agreements regarding new responsibilities for environmental protection rules.
Many countries are not only working on saving the number of animals, but are also working on increasing their populations. For example, in India, the number of tigers has increased by 20% for the first time in 100 years. And China has committed to protecting their panda population.
This is another piece of evidence that we can do a lot to protect animals.
Are you ready to change your lifestyle to save the animals on our planet?
